Milk Oversupply?

Question

It's not exactly spraying all over, but I'm leaking pretty badly. When my son (5 days old) is 15 minutes late or so for feeding, I'll soak through a pad (the washable ones) and through my tank, T-shirt and sweater. I have to buy a new mattress now!!

Poor baby practically drowns when nursing!

Answer 1

I thought about telling you how to deal with over supply. At this stage in the nursing relationship though I have the feeling that it may go ahead and work itself out. Just keep nursing and dealing with it. In about two or three weeks things will really start to regulate out. I leaked like this with my first two until I figured out wearing a bra ALL the time helped keep the milk from leaking everywhere. Number three and four I wore my bra 24/7 for the first several weeks were over.

You are super Lucky to have to much milk instead of the opposite problem.

If it does not resolve itself then you will need to read this page.
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html


WARNING do not start expressing milk before the feedings as some others here has indicated. It will start a vicious cycle of oversupply, plugged ducts and foremilk/hindmilk imbalance.

Answer 2

I do the same thing, I hear ya. Pump your milk, your life will be so much easier if you pump and store your milk. It's easy to get the hang of it. And the real bonus is that you can leave the baby with your husband and the baby still gets your milk! You can get a haircut or do some shopping without worrying about how he's going to eat. I like my Ameda breast pump and it has worked for several pregnancies, so it was well worth the expense.

The washable pads are horrible. Buy the disposable Lansinoh pads, they hold more milk than anything else on the market. And they have a backing on them which keeps the milk from seeping into your bras and clothes. Like the leakproof backing on pantyliners/pads, they have that! They are worth their weight in gold. The gerber disposable breast pads are my second favorite, they're good not as good as the Lansinoh but they work pretty darn good.

When you get your new mattress, invest in a high quality mattress pad. I bought the one that Sealy Posturepedic makes, Sealy Assurance Waterproof Mattress Pad, and it's awesome. No loud crinkle noises when you roll around on it, either. Launders up great, too. You're going to want to protect that new mattress, and this thing has served us very well for the last 5 years. Invest in a good one so you don't leak all over the new mattress, girl. Here it is: http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@1514382433.1176077160@@@@&BV_EngineID=cchhaddkilgkfmmcefecemldffidfko.0&vertical=SEARS&sid=IDx20050303x0000006&pid=096B2107000

You can find a good comfy bra to sleep in so you can wear the breast pads, that'll work for you. It will all work out just fine sugar. Take care and congratulations on your new baby.

Answer 3

Had the same problem myself. Talk to a breast-feeding consultant or your health care prossessional for info, but here's what worked for me.
Posture feeding - you laying on your back and baby sucking on top - will help with the little one drowning in milk. If your at day 5 chances are your milk supply has just come in and generally the amount of milk will adjust itself to the amount your baby will take.
You could express some milk to relieve the chance of overflow (and this can be stored frozen for later) , but if you do it too often you will build up your milk supply even more.
As to the leaking when your baby is due for a feed, that to is perfectly normal, and should settle down (lessen) fairly soon. Some women use a towelling facewasher as well as a pad for the first week or two, just to catch the milk.
Rinsing the clothes in cold water first will reduce the staining from milk.
If your breasts feel heavy, tight and hot, the outer cabbage leaves, cold from the fridge, put in your bra, can give you wonderful relief.
Good luck!

Answer 4

Hi there! Congratulations! You would not believe how much time I spend talking to mothers who are upset because they do not think that they have enough milk! I know that is not any real help to you but you are so lucky to have all that wonderful milk to give to your dear little baby!
I really think that as a bit of time goes by things will settle down. Your baby is still very new and is getting used to things. Your milk supply is not really stable yet either. Between the two I think that everyting will settle down and balance will occur.
Even after your milk supply settles down a bit you might still have a big "gush" of milk when your milk lets down. Some of my babies would let go until the flood stopped and some of my babies just gulped and enjoyed it!
I hope that everything gets easier for you. It is so wonderful that you are breastfeeding, you are doing such a wonderful thing for your baby. In all your life you will always be proud and happy for this gift that you are giving your sweet baby. You may not believe it now but when he grows up and has children of his own he will still be proud of the fact that you breastfed him. I have seen it with my own three sons.
Most of all take care of yourself, get lots of rest and keep doing what ever you are doing! It is working great.
Love and Blessings
Lady Trinity~ (p.s. buy stock in the company that makes breast pads!)

Answer 5

i had the EXACT same problem with breastfeeding. I was told to express milk or miss a day etc. , but in the end, i did that, and i actually didn't make enough after that so i had to stop. The best thing to do is try to persevere with it, it will get better with time, and if you know it's close to feed time and you are really uncomfortable, just get rid of a tiny amount, enough to make you comfortable, and also your baby won't make that horrible choking noise when they feed. I had to use about 2 breast pads at a time, just so i could go out in public........i feel your pain

Answer 6

Try expressing some before you nurse or after. This will ease up as your baby gets into a routine of nursing. Try using the disposable pads with a washable one. You can clean your mattress...I'd try that first before buying a new one. You might also want to invest in a good mattress pad with a moisture barrier.

Answer 7

Your milk will regulate itself...supply and demand process going on. IF YOU PUMP RIGHT NOW it will just make your breasts think you need to make even more!!!!! It will naturally even out as baby and you become a well oiled nursing machine. It is a natural process and it WILL even out....be patient and congratulations for providing your baby the best food for him...it was made JUST for him, you know?!? You can put one of those crib pads on your bed to keep the leaking milk off the mattress...just slide it under the sheet.

Answer 8

i'd try pumping just before he feeds so he ins't choaking on your milk b/c you can let down to fast if you have so much, which is normal at this point soonyour body will learn how much to make and you'll slow down in production. As for the fullness and let down before hand I'd jus also pump or hand express some pump an dsave it if your going to be going back to work or at some point going to be away for baby for more than a few hours! but don't pump to much b/c then your body will think you need all that and therefor not fixing the prob. just cuse more harm...so just express some to help your discomfort and him at feedings! Good Luck!

Answer 9

lol...this is a GOOD problem, not a bad one! your breasts will eventually even off...this abundance will probably not last more than another two weeks or so....keep those 'chucks' (disposable waterproof pads) under you when you sleep...so mattress will be spared....keep plenty of the pads around...burp cloths, cloth diapers...they all help.....as for feeding the drowning baby....have him latch on in the 'football' or french bread hold....with his head up, feet to your side, and after he is latched on well, lean back.....this way the milk is traveling 'upstream' and wont flood the poor dear...good luck!

Answer 10

I had the same problem. My doctor told me to pump for a few seconds before feeding my son so he doesn't get a huge mouth full. Then she said after he was done feeding off of both breasts to pump again to drain the breasts. I also doubled up on the pads. Even then I would leak through them but it was a little better for protecting. Good luck :)